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Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa
Mission Statement
The Heart Foundation is a community based health organisation established to reduce the incidence of heart disease and stroke in the population of South Africa by providing education and supporting research. The function of the Heart Foundation is to present the vast scientific knowledge of heart disease and stroke to the public in an understandable and applicable manner.
Executive Summary
Established in 1980, the Heart Foundation company established to co-ordinate heart health activities in South Africa. In 1990, heart disease ranked amongst the top five causes of death in South Africa. More recently heart disease and stroke (jointly termed cardiovascular disease) has become a primary killer in South Africa. The Heart Foundation is committed to developing long-term relationships and seeking partnerships with companies and trusts to enable us to continue our work in an ethical and sustainable manner. With no government funding the Heart Foundation needs to balance our efforts and expertise in health promotion with fundraising and marketing initiatives.
The Heart Foundation’s Children’s Programme, established in 1997 to instill healthy habits from a young age, has succeeded in reaching 1.5 million disadvantaged children countrywide. “We at the Heart Foundation are extremely proud of this achievement, which plays a vital role in the fight against heart disease” said Robert de Souza, CEO of the Heart Foundation.
